Ski binding



July 21, 1931. Q s, SPRAGUE 1,815,168

SKI BINDING Filed oct. e, 195o 2 sheets-sneu 1 .nvenToT. Go\dw'm S. 'Sprague bygzaaMkM' Ays.

July 21, 1931. I G. s. SPRAGUE I sx1 BINDING Filed oct.i e, 195o 2 sheets-sham 2 29 28 26 as 2A Fl i nvenTor. Gokwn 5. Sprague Patented July 21, 1931 OFFICE GOLDWIN S. SPRAG'UE, 0F NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS j sx1 BINDING Application filed October 6, 1930. Serial No. 486,561.

This invention relates to the ski binding by which the boot of the skier is secured to the ski. The requirements of a proper ski bindingV are severe because the well-known cir- 5 cumstances of use of skis are such that even the -life of the skier may depend upon the ski binding, while at all times the comfort, pleasure and skill of the skier is dependent thereon. Y

Experienced skiers themselves with special substantially rigid soles boots having heavy, which thus provide for proper cooperation with types of ski bindings especially designed therefor. But such y boots are expensive andfor ordinary purposes it is therefore desirable that a ski binding be provided which will enable the skier to make use of ordinary types of boots such as the well-known Barker boot or such as heavy arctics.

The therefore to provide a ski binding offdurable, safe and'practical construction which may be used in connection kwith Barker boots, arctics or other ordinary boots, particularly where the edge of the sole projects laterally beyond the upper and which allows theescape of f snow and ice which would otherwise collect between the boot and the binding. j

The object ofthe invention is further to provide such a ski binding which is adjustable to compensate for variations` in boot sizes.

These and other objects of the invention will appear more fully from theaccompanyingdescription andpdrawings andl will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig.l l is a side elevation ofa portion -of a 40 ski, a Barker boot, and a ski binding embodyinge. preferred form of the invention.

ig. 2 isa view chiefly in vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the construc- 45 tion shown in Fig. l without the' boot and without the toe strap.

Fig. 4V is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing another form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view without the boot` .50 of the construction shown in Fig. 4.

commonly provide principal object of this invention is The ski may be of any usual type. Only a portion l thereof is illustrated. Such a ski is commonly provided with a slot 2 through which a toe strap may be passed.

As illustrative of an ordinary type of boot, there is shown a Barker boot. The vamp or lower portion 3 of this boot is usually of rubber having` a heavy rubber sole 4, the edge of which projects to a substantial distance laterally beyond the upper. The portion 5 of the upper which extends up on the leg of the skier is usually of leather and is laced in position.

The foot of the skier encased in the boot must be held by the binding exactly in proper position on the ski, while at the same time a hinging movement at the ball of the foot must be provided to allow the heel of the boot to swing toward and from the ski and without allowing the foot to twist laterally.

InV the construction shown in Figs. l to 3,

alongitudinally stiff sole plate 6 is secured at its forward end to the ski to permit the swinging movement of the plate on the ski. For these purposes the sole plate isitself transversely flexible and may be made of leather or a heavy treated textile material such as used for belting and be secured at its forward end as by the screws 7 directly to the ski so that thehinging movement is secured by the flexibility of the plate itself. f The 4rigidity of the sole plate longitudinally, that is, in the direction of its lengt gives the necessary longitudinal stiffness to theski binding and insures the proper relation between the means provided for clamping the toe of `the boot and the means provided for holding the boot at the rear.

A heel counter, which may be made of heavy leather or otherv suitable material, projects upward at 8 at each side of the rearward end of the sole plate and, in the construction illustrated, is rigidly secured to the sole plate by being bent thereunder and secured thereto by rivets 9. This binding counter presents a loop 10 extending rearward from the upwardly extendingportions 8 of the counter. Thus this loop tits snugly against the counter of the boot and permits the boot sole heel 4 to project beneath theV loop 10. Thus a very snug lit of the binding counter with the boot at the toe,` while at the same is secured. The space 0r opening left beneath the loop of the binding counter and at Vthe rear of the binding allows snow and ice,

buckle 13 being secured as by rivets to the binding counter at one side and the other portion 14 of the strap which cooperates with the buckle .being similarly secured to the binding counter at the opposite side.

Suitable means are also provided for clamping andpositioning the 4toe of the boot to theA ski atthe forward end of thesole plate.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, there is shown a pair of toe plates 15 of similar but reverse construction, each of which is angularly and laterally adjustably secured to the ski. This angular and lateral adjustment is effected by screws 16r passing through slets17 in the toe plates into the ski. These toe plates are each provi-ded with an outer upstanding flange to engage the vside edge of the boot sole toe and hold it against lateral displacement. The pair of toe` plates illustrated are similar to a type heretofore in use for gripping the edge of a heavy leather sole. Tn this invention such toe plates may be utilized and for that purpose upstanding flange members by screws 19 to the inner surfaces of the usual edge-engaging uortions 2O formed onthe toe C C! n D plates. These flanged portions 18 are each provided withv therethrough. and adapted to receive a strap.

A-strap 22 is preferably passed through vthese apertures with its middle portion extendingfover the toe of the boot and. with its ends brought together' overthe ltoe of the boot and buckled'v together. ,j This construction provides a very iirm'adjustable meansl both v for clamping the toe of the boot to the ski and preventing lateral movement. of the boot time it provides for'adjustment for all sizes of boot toes.

The construction shown in Figs. L and 5 is similar tothat described except in the following particulars. n

ln. this construction the longitudinally n stiff but transversely exible sole plate 23 extends beneaththe toe of the boot and is secured at its extreme forward end by the screws 24 tothe ski.

That portion. of the ski bindingengaging theheel and instep of the boot isV of the same construction. as described, except that ,in addition the rearward. loop of'the ski binding counter is made adjustable soasl to compensatefor. variations inboot lengths.. vForthis 18 are secured as.

an aperture 21 extendingV purpose the rearward extending loop 25 of the binding counter is separated at the center and the loop is completed by a strap, one portion 26 of which is attached as by rivets to the binding counter at one side and the other portion 27 of Ahich is attached as by rivets to the binding counter at the opposite side. Thus by adjusting the length of the strap, as by means of the buckle 28, the length of the rearward extending loop of the binding counter may be varied to cause the counterrto lit a boot of any length.

This adjustable feature of the ski binding counter may, of course, be embodied in either or any form of the invention.

, The construction illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 also serves to illustrate that various types of toe binding may be employed in connection with the counter binding of this invention. In this construction a simple ordinary type of toe binding is shown comprising the strap 29 passed through the usual slot 2 in the ski and buckled over the toe of the boot.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. A .ski binding comprisingl a longitudinal-ly stiff sole plate, means for securing the forward end'of the sole plate to the ski to permit the swingingA movement of the toejof the-.boot to the ski at, the forward end"` of the sole plate.

2. A skiI 'binding comprising the construction defined-in claim 1, together with means for adjustingV the length of the said rearward loop of the binding counter to compensate for variations in boot lengths.

3.15; ski binding comprising alongitudinally sti sole plate, means for securingthe forward end of the sole plate to the skito permit the swinging movement of the plate on the ski, aA heel' counter projecting upward from the `sole pl'ate at eachy side of its rearward end and presenting a rearwardloop allowing the counter to it snugly around the counter of a bootwith the boot sole heel pro-'f' j ecting beneath the loop, an adjustable connection between the vupper front portions of the binding counter to extend ever the boot instepj, a pair of toe plates each having an outerupstanding edge of the boot sole toe,.means for'securing the toe plates to the: ski,l and anf adjustable connectionV between the 'flanges to extend overk the boot solef-toeand clamping thev boot toe to the skin'. f

flange toengage. a' sideY 4. A ski binding comprising a longitudinally stiftl sole plate, means for securing the forward end of the sole plate to the ski to permit the swinging movement of the plate on the ski, a heel counter projecting upward from the sole plate at each side of its rearward end and presenting a rearward loop al,- lowing the counter to lit snugly around the counter of a boot with the boot sole heel projecting beneath the loop, an adjustable connection between the upper front portions of the binding counter to extend over the boot instep, a pair of toe plates each having an outer upstanding flange to engage a side i5 edge of the boot sole toe, means for adjustably securing both angularly and laterally eac-h toe plate to the ski, and an adjustable connection between the flanges to extend over the boot sole toe and Clamping the boot toe to the ski.

5. A ski binding comprising a longitudinally stiff sole plate, means for securing the forward end of the sole plate to the ski to permit the swinging movement of the plate on the ski, a heel counter projecting upward from the sole plate at each side of its rearward end and presenting a rearward loopr allowing the counter to tit snugly around the counter of a boot with the boot sole heel projecting beneath the loop, an adjustable connection between the upper front portions of the binding counter to extend over the boot instep, a pair of toe plates each having an outer upstanding flange to engage a side edge of the boot sole toe, each flange having an aperture therethrough, and an adjustable strap passed through said apertures adapted to extend over the boot toe and thus to hold the boot toe in position on the ski between eo the toe plates.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

GOLDWIN S. SPRAGUE. 

